Kingsport, TN – The Webber International Baseball team competed in the Opening Round of the NAIA Tournament Monday afternoon, acting as the #1 seed at the Kingsport Regional. The Warriors took on the 4th-seeded Freed-Hardeman Lions, taking them down 3-0.
Blayne Huter started on the mound for the Warriors, pitching 7.0 solid innings of two-hit baseball. He picked apart the Lions' lineup, getting through the first inning in three batters, picking up his first strikeout of the afternoon. The Warriors would also go down in order in the first.
After a leadoff single, Huter picked up another strikeout and then induced a 4-6-3 double play to get out of the inning. Tyren Milliner opened the scoring for the Warriors in the second inning, blasting a leadoff solo home run.
The third inning was more of the same for Huter, as he struck out the Lions' leadoff batter before issuing a walk and getting another inning-ending twin killing. Webber would also be retired in three batters in the third.
Huter struck out two more batters in the fourth inning both on swings and misses allowing the Warriors to get back on offense quickly. Joseph Becker and Ryan Recio each hit a single to start the bottom of the fourth, before a fielder's choice off the bat of Milliner put runners on the corners with one out. Brodey Neveker looped a single into center field to score Becker and advance Milliner to second. Milliner and Neveker stole third and second respectively, but the next two batters each got out to end the inning with Webber up 2-0.
Outside of a one out single, Huter remained excellent in the fifth, striking out three of the four batters he faced. The Warriors would go down in order on three batted balls.
Two errors and a sacrifice bunt gave Freed-Hardeman two runners in scoring position with one out. Huter however was able to get out of the jam, striking out the next two batters he faced for the second and third outs. Recio singled in the bottom of the sixth and was able to advance to third, but nothing came of it.
The Lions were able to get two runners into scoring position after Huter issued two walks to the first two batters he faced. Again, Freed-Hardeman would be shut down by Huter as he got his final strikeout of the afternoon for the second out and induced a ground out to Milliner for the final out of the inning. Jarrett May would put his name in the box score with a solo home run to make it 3-0 heading into the eighth inning.
Seth Lovell took over on the mound for the Warriors in the eighth. He gave up a one out single but got two ground outs to retire the side. Webber was unable to get any more offense in the eighth.
After a leadoff single, Lovell induced a flyout, and then ended the game on another double play.
Huter led the team with 11 strikeouts to go along with two hits allowed and no runs, while Lovell picked up the save. Recio led the team with two hits, while Milliner, Neveker, and May all had one RBI each.
The Warriors will be back in action on Tuesday, May 14th when they take on the Tennessee Wesleyan Bulldogs at 2:00 PM.
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